I’m still trying to work out exactly what to call this month’s theme. Frontier stories or stories with a native american theme or frontier stories with a native american theme. Anyway. You get the general idea. 😉 I’ve decided to try a new take on the monthly theme. I’ll still be announcing one, but I won’t tell you which books I plan to review. There are two reasons for this. One: to keep you in suspense. 🙂 Two: to give myself a bit more flexibility. If you have any feedback on this idea, please let me know. I’d love to hear it! Now, the review of one of my newest favorites.
Jim, if you’re still alive, come help us….If you ever cared anything for mother or any of us, then come. It’s our only chance.
Moccasin Trail encases a powerful story about the strength of family in a page turning adventure from the days of the pioneers. Jim Keath ran away from home as a young boy and now, at the age of 19, is more Indian than white. When he receives a letter from his younger brother pleading for help in staking a claim, Jim rejoins what is left of the family he ran away from nine long years ago and finds himself stuck between two worlds.
Jim’s confusion over how to fit in and the pain of rejection that he tried to hide even from himself makes him an easy character to like. Eloise Jarvis McGraw does an amazing job of showing his struggle and inability to understand what his family expects of him while maintaining his rugged, impenetrable personality. You will be rooting for him the entire time as he transforms from a rugged, wandering loner to an equally rugged but devoted, responsible family man. A masterfully told story.
Author: Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Audience: All Ages (Intended for Middle Grade readers, but this seriously isn’t a book you want to limit to 8-12 year olds.)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 247
What is your favorite frontier/wild west story?
Leah E. Good 
Yes!!! I love this book! 🙂 Not sure how much these books fit into the category, but they all have Indians in them somewheres. 🙂 Indians of the Oaks, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Zia (both by Scott O’dell), the Little House Books (those count, right??). Oh, the Matchlock Gun, Brave the Wild Trail, and Moccasin Trail.
Oh, and I just realized I completely forgot to tell you, but way back when you reviewed the Holocaust book and asked if there were other books we liked, my all time favorite besides Corrie Ten Boom, is “A Father’s Promise” by Donna Lynn Hess! Beautiful, beautiful. I think it would move me the same as it did when I was a kid. We all need to be reminded of the consequences of evil.
I’m considering reading Zia to do for one of the weeks. And I loved this book too. Picked it up at a used curriculum sale and it’s definitely going on both my favorites and re-read lists. Looking forward to looking up some of the titles you mentioned that I don’t recognize.